EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- This time, the New York Giants had a fourth-quarter lead and didn't blow it.
After becoming the first team in NFL history to lose its first two games of the season despite double-digit fourth-quarter leads, the Giants took a 12-point lead into the fourth Thursday night against Washington, quickly extended it with a touchdown pass from Eli Manning to Odell Beckham Jr., and cruised to their first victory of the season, 32-21.
The Giants set the tone early with big, game-shifting plays. Rashad Jennings blocked a punt through the end zone for a safety that gave the Giants a 2-0 lead, and Prince Amukamara's interception inside the Washington 20 set up the game's first touchdown.
The game came down to Washington making more mistakes than New York did, but the Giants were able to take advantage of those mistakes and grab a much-needed win.
What it means: Only that the season is still alive. Had the Giants lost, they'd have been 0-3, and no team has come back from 0-3 to make the playoffs since 1998. Giants coach Tom Coughlin spent the week preaching positives and opportunity. He talked about the 2007 Giants team that started 0-2, beat Washington in Week 3 and went on to win the Super Bowl. He talked about the opportunity offered by the Eagles' 0-2 start and the Cowboys' injuries. Winning this game allows the Giants, who now get nine days off before their next game, to build on those positives. Losing it would have made them all hollow.
What were they thinking? The Giants didn't do nearly as much wrong as the Redskins did in this game, but tight end Larry Donnell sure had a weird game. A terrible drop on the Washington 10-yard line on third down turned a possible touchdown drive into a field goal. And even on his long catch during the drive that put the game away, Donnell did a weird, risky forward somersault into a tackle. Ol' Larry is still not a finished product.
One reason to get excited: Through two weeks, the Giants had the third-best run defense in the league, allowing 68 rush yards per game. Washington came in as the leading rushing offense in the league at 171.5 yards per game. But the Giants held them in check with front-seven defenders such as Kerry Wynn and Devon Kennard making big run stops in big spots and forcing Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins into downfield throws that are clearly not his strength. The Giants' defense isn't great, but it does seem to be OK at stopping the run.
One reason to panic: A more poised, accurate quarterback than Cousins would have been able to take better advantage of the amount of time the Giants gave him to throw. They're still not generating pressure on the quarterback or covering well in the secondary.
Fantasy watch: As usual Odell Beckham Jr. got his, with seven catches for 79 yards and a 30-yard touchdown. But if you've been waiting on Rueben Randle, this was the first glimmer. After catching just four passes for 28 yards in the first two games, Randle had seven for 116 and a late 41-yard touchdown Thursday night.
Ouch: Running back Orleans Darkwa left the game in the first quarter with a foot injury after recovering a muffed punt by Dwayne Harris. No other significant injuries occurred during the game, and the break before the Week 4 game in Buffalo should give guys such as Robert Ayers, Ereck Flowers and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who all missed the game due to injury, time to heal.
Turnovers matter: Giants opponents have committed six turnovers so far this year. The Giants have committed only one. That makes it frustrating, obviously, that they're 1-2. But three straight games without a Manning interception is always encouraging. And if they keep protecting the ball and their leaky defense can keep taking it away, they'll continue to be in games.